


painted targets

by freedomatsea



Series: a messy situation [20]
Category: Good Girls (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Misunderstandings, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-11
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2020-01-11 05:30:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18423843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freedomatsea/pseuds/freedomatsea
Summary: Annie attempts to sway Agent Turner (part 20 of 'a messy situation')





	painted targets

**Author's Note:**

> Full disclosure, this chapter was a pain to get out. I need to stop trying to do different POVs it throws me off.

“I’ll admit it, I’m surprised it was  _ you _ .” Agent Turner said as he leaned back in his office chair, giving Annie a skeptical look. “So, why  _ are _ you here, Ms. Marks?”

Annie rubbed her hands together, trying to act as nonchalant as possible. Which wasn’t working out as well as she had hoped. Just passing a cop on the street used to make her sweat, now she was sitting in front of an FBI agent, spinning a tall tale. “My sister is planning to marry a  _ gang  _ leader? You really think I would sit by and let that happen?”

“You didn’t seem to mind sitting by and helping rob  _ Fine & Frugal _ .” Agent Turner countered. 

She laughed nervously, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Besides, Pod Person Beth was a wake up call.” Annie leaned forward, resting her forearms against Turner’s desk. “I don’t want my sister going down  _ this _ path.”

“So you came to the FBI to…? Plan an intervention?” Agent Turner questioned with an arched brow. “What’s your endgame here, Ms. Marks?”

Annie pursed her lips and shrugged her shoulders, “Take down a crime lord?” 

Turner chuckled, rolling his eyes, “What do you have to give me that could take  _ him _ down?”

“Me.” Annie said quickly, before adding. “My sister.” She rubbed her hands together. “Don’t FBI agents get people to like wear wires or something?”  _ Shit _ . Rio had explicitly told her to let  _ him _ bring up the wire. Why had they asked her to do this? 

“Why don’t you just talk to your sister? Have a heart-to-heart with her about your concerns.” Agent Turner questioned, steepling his fingers. “Then see if she would like to talk come in and talk to me again.”

Annie inwardly grimaced. She  _ shouldn’t  _ have mentioned the wire. It had spooked him. “I don’t think she’s seeing a lot of reason right now. She’s  _ dickmatized _ .” She waved her hand grandly. “You know.” 

Turner made a face, before he reached for his mug of coffee. “I could tell  _ that _ from the first time she sat right where you’re sitting and told me about meeting him at a bar.”

“When did she tell you  _ that _ ?” Annie questioned sharply. When had Beth met Rio in a bar? Wait, had she already confessed to sleeping with him? Turner knew they were together, but when had she come  _ to _ the office to talk to him? 

“Last year.” He sat the mug down. “She claimed it was a one time thing, so consider me  _ surprised _ when I spotted her at another bar with him a few months ago.” Turner shook his head slowly. “I don’t get it.” 

“So  _ wait _ …” Annie couldn’t wrap her head around that piece of news. “She slept with him  _ last _ year?”

“Well, that’s what she told me. Apparently she met him at a bar, took him home...” Turner seemed far  _ too _ pleased with Annie’s confusion. “Should I expect to hear from her again?”

“My sister told  _ you  _ that?” Annie’s eyes narrowed. Had Beth been fucking him for  _ longer _ than she’d let on? What the hell? “I’m sorry, I… made a mistake coming here today.” Had Beth been lying to her all along? 

Annie grabbed her purse off the ground as she stood up quickly. “I have to go.” She said, before she headed for the door. 

* * *

Beth frowned at the text message that came in from Annie. She turned to look at Rio on the bench beside her. “Annie just text and said it didn’t work with Turner.”

Rio raked his hand over his face, leaning back against the bench with a heavy sigh. “ _ Shit _ .” He hissed out, giving her a sideways glance. “She say why?”

She shook her head, staring at the text. “She just said it didn’t work and then added two side eye emojis and two crying emojis.” Beth handed him the phone. 

Rio looked down at the message, before passing it back to her. “Should’ve had Ruby do it.”

“Annie made more sense.” Beth tucked her phone back in her purse, watching the children playing on the monkey bars. “Ruby’s pretty gun-shy right now. I guess Agent Turner was sniffing around the police station the other day. Stan’s freaked out, so Ruby is too.” She wrung her hands nervously. “What are we going to do, Rio?” 

Rio shrugged a shoulder, leaning forward to rest his arms on his legs as he watched Marcus. “I don’t wanna see him grow up like me.” He said, screwing up his lips. 

“He’s not.” Beth assured him, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder. “We’re going to find a way out for you.” 

“You gotta get out too, Elizabeth.” He told her, tilting his head to look towards her. “Your kids don’t need this shit in their lives.” 

Beth chewed on her bottom lip. “Sometimes you say things like that…” She shook her head slowly as she looked away from him. “You say shit like that and I wonder what  _ out _ means to you. You spent all day yesterday, telling him that this lifestyle wasn’t good for me. You talk about  _ you _ getting out and me getting out, like it’s two seperate things.” She rubbed her fingers over his shoulder. “It scares me, Rio.”

“Why?”

“Because telling me to get out, feels like you already  _ know _ this isn’t going to go well. It’s like you’re prepping me to lose you.” She shook her head and wiped a tear off her cheek with the heel of her hand. “I  _ know _ this could go pear shaped, Rio.” 

“Do you?” He turned to look at her. “Cause the only way out, is usually in a body bag.” He rubbed his hands together. “I’ve sheltered you from this shit, baby. You get the VIP treatment.” 

Beth ran her hand over his back, scooting closer to him, resting her cheek on his shoulder. “We’ll figure this out.” She sighed softly as he wrapped his arm around her. “If worse comes to worst, I’ll walk into Turner’s office and talk to him myself.” 

“Ain’t no way I’m gonna get out without jail time. You prepared for that?” Rio questioned, pressing his lips to the side of her head. “Money laundering comes with steep sentences.” He reminded her. “Then whatever they tack on… could be a  _ decade _ . Could be longer.”

“Don’t say that.” Beth rested her hand on his leg. The thought that Rio might end up in jail and not get out until she was in her fifties, or worse her sixties made her heart clench. “If we give him your boss, there  might be a plea deal.” 

“You watched too much  _ Law & Order _ .” He placed his hand over hers. “I’m just tellin’ you the hard facts, baby. You gotta get out before me. I don’t want a target on your back.” 

“Just tell me if I’m going to wake up one morning and you’re gone. I don’t mean put down by the gang… I don’t mean arrested by Turner. I want to know if you’re going to walk away.”

“I can’t leave you, baby.” Rio told her honestly and she believed him. “I wanna get out for  _ us _ . This shit ain’t helping any of us no more.”

Their conversation was interrupted by Emma running up to Rio. “Come push me!” She grabbed at his hand and pulled with all her might. 

Rio have Beth a sympathetic smile. “We’ll keep talkin’.” He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek, before he let Emma pull him to the swings. 

Beth watched them, smiling at the way Rio interacted with his son and her daughter. He was a natural with them. She wished Agent Turner could see  _ this _ side of him. The side that wasn’t a criminal, but a father. He listened to them and laughed with them, humored their flights of fantasy, kissed their boo-boos when they fell. It was a duality that she feared that the criminal justice system didn’t  _ care _ about. 

Beth was jostled from her thoughts by the sound of her phone ringing in her purse. She pulled it out, thankful to see Annie’s name flash across the screen. Maybe she could explain what happened with Agent Turner. Maybe there was  _ still _ hope. 

“Hey.” Beth said as she answered the phone.

“How long have you and Rio been  _ together _ ?” 

“What?” She questioned, her brows knitting together. “Roughly six months.” 

Annie scoffed, “Mhm. How  _ rough _ ?” 

“I mean,” Beth rubbed at her forehead. “It’s been closer to seven months maybe.” 

“I want to know what happened last year, Beth.” Annie snapped. “Did the two of you bump uglies last year? Is that why you pulled us back into this mess? God, how could I be so stupid? I should’ve seen it then.”

“Whoa,  _ whoa _ . I don’t understand what you’re talking about?” Beth questioned. “What am I missing here?”

“Agent Turner told me a  _ fun _ little story.” Annie hissed out, “All about how you met up with Rio at a bar… took him home and fucked him.” 

Beth groaned, “Annie… that was a story I told Turner to get him off my back. He had seen Rio around my house and he’d confronted me. I needed a reason to be around someone like Rio. We came up with the story and it  _ worked _ .” She swept her fingers through her hair and sighed. “I didn’t expect it to ever happen.” 

“You’re telling the truth?” Annie questioned, sighing on the other side of the phone. “ _ Shit _ . I fucked up, Beth. I really fucked up. I went in, I laid it all out, then I screwed up and mentioned the stupid wire! Then Turner started talking about this thing that happened last year and…”

“It’s okay.” Beth assured her, sinking back against the bench. “I’m sure Agent Turner did it to shake you.”

Annie was quiet for a moment before she whispered, “I’m sorry, Beth.” 

“We underestimated Turner.” Beth stated, chewing on her bottom lip. “Look, this isn’t going to be as  _ easy _ as we’d hoped it would be. I don’t even think Turner will cave if he’s confronted with his family in Baltimore and his boyfriend here.” She met Rio’s gaze across the park and put on a smile to keep him playing with the children, while she talked with Annie. 

“Do you have another plan?” Annie questioned. “Staging Rio’s death? Running away? Witness Protection?”

“I’m going to talk to Turner,” Beth sighed, pushing her fingers through her hair. 

“And say  _ what _ ?” 

“I’ll tell him everything,” She answered, her heart beating faster in her chest. It might’ve been a stupid idea. A  _ dangerous _ idea. “And offer to help him bring down the boss.” 

Annie grumbled, “Are you going to tell him  _ everything _ ?” 

“None of this is going to just go away, Annie.” Beth reminded her. “But I have to try this.”

“Does Rio know?”

Beth sighed, “Not yet. I don’t think I’m going to tell him. He’ll just worry.” She watched as he scooped Emma up off the swing and she wrapped her little arms around him. “But I have to do this, before he comes up with his own plan.” 

* * *

“The bunk bed in Danny’s room was a genius idea.” Beth said as she settled onto the sofa beside Rio. “Well, Danny  _ and _ Marcus’ room  now.”

“Kenny needed his own room.” Rio said with a nod, draping his arm over Beth’s shoulders, pulling her towards him. 

Beth leaned against him. They had spent the evening clearing out the rest of Dean’s crap from his office, putting it in the garage, and turning the newly empty room into Kenny’s new bedroom. She was exhausted, physically and emotionally. The weight of what she planned to do tomorrow was sitting on her heavily. 

“Annie spooked Agent Turner,” Beth said quietly. “She said she got nervous and mentioned the wire.”

“Figured.” Rio sighed and pressed his lips to the side of her head. “We gonna pull out Baltimore?”

“I think we should wait.” Beth tilted her head to look at him, her brows furrowing together. “We should’ve waited to begin with.”

“We don’t got a lot of time wait, baby.” Rio squeezed her shoulder. “Pushin’ the drugs will only tide us over for a bit.”

“I know.” Beth rubbed her hand over his chest. “But we shouldn’t have thrown Annie in like that.” She sighed heavily. “We’ll figure something out.”

Rio rubbed his thumb over her chin, meeting her gaze. “I’m not gonna disappear on you, Elizabeth.”

“You better not.” Beth whispered, leaning in to press her lips to his. “Because I’ll find you.”

He chuckled, his lips curving upwards with a smirk. “I have no doubt of that.”

Beth kissed him again, brushing her fingers over her cheek. She wanted to tell him what her plan was, but at the same time… she knew better. She was putting her own neck on the line.

Rio angled himself towards her, slipping his hand around her waist as he slanted his mouth over hers. He laid her back on the sofa lengthwise, settling his weight atop her. 

Beth let out a breathy sigh as his lips dragged along her throat. She ran her hands over his back, drawing him closer to her. “I love you.” She told him, a lump of emotion catching in her throat. 

“I love you too.” Rio said lowly, lifting his head to look at her. “You okay, baby?”

She nodded, rubbing her lips together. “I just never thought it would come to this. To getting  _ out _ .” She curled her fingers around the back of his head. “I never thought about the consequences.”

“ _ Shh _ .” He urged, brushing his lips over hers. “I’ve got this, yea?”

“Do we?” Beth countered, sinking back against the sofa, rubbing a hand over her faces. “I don’t want to lose you, Rio.”

Rio looked at her sadly and kissed her instead of finding the right words say. Maybe there weren’t  _ right _ words. There was no easy way out of this.

* * *

Beth sat primly in the chair across from Agent Turner, her hands folded in her lap. “I know my sister was here yesterday.” She told him, “And I know you told her about the first time I came to talk with you.”

Agent Turner leaned back in his seat and took a sip of coffee, “She seemed pretty disturbed by that piece of information. Who’d you lie to, her or  _ me _ ?”

“You,” Beth admitted, taking her hair behind her ears. “The real story is far more complicated. But that’s not why I’m here.”

“Why  _ are _ you here, Mrs. Boland?”

“Because I want to help you take down Rio’s boss.” Beth told him firmly. 

“Funny, your sister sat right there wanting to help me take down  _ Rio _ .”

“I know.” Beth sighed heavily. “But I can actually help you bring the  _ real _ leader down.” She chewed on her bottom lip as she tried to find the right words. “Rio wants  _ out _ .”

“Out of the gang life.”

“ _ Yes _ .” Beth breathed out, pulling her phone out of her purse and staring at it pensively. “I know you have no reason to believe me, but Rio  _ really _ wants out.” She passed her phone across the desk, showing him an album of photos of Rio with her kids. “He’s a  _ really  _ good father.”

“He has a son, correct?” Turner questioned as he looked at the pictures. Beth nodded. “Does Rio know you’re here?”

Beth shook her head slowly. “He doesn’t. I mean, we’ve discussed trying to find a way to take down his boss. But… he doesn’t know I’m here.”

Turner passed her phone back to her. “So what do you expect me to do, Mrs. Boland?”

“We give you intel on the boss… help you shut him down and,  _ maybe _ none of us go to jail?” Beth tried, her brows furrowing together. 

“You’re going to have to do more than that. I’m an agent, not a miracle worker.” He leaned back in his seat. “Rio has got a list of crimes longer than a CVS receipt.”

Beth couldn’t help but laugh at that, pressing her lips together as she glanced out the window. “I know he’s not innocent.”

“He’s got crimes going back twenty years.” He explained, “You expect me to just ignore them in favor of taking down the  _ big  _ boss?”

She sighed heavily and turned her attention back to Agent Turner. “What do you want?”

“I want names of revival gangs in the city, Mrs. Boland. A full flush and  _ maybe _ we can work out an agreement that clears Rio.”

Her lashes fluttered as she inhaled sharply. “That’ll paint a target on our backs.”

“You have a target on your back already.” Agent Turner said sharply. “Bring me info on the full sweep of the gangs or you, your friends,  _ and _ Rio go down instead. Ionia Max of Crystal Falls... ”

Beth stared at him for a long moment before she simply answered, “ _ Okay _ .” What else was she supposed to say?

Turner pursed his lips and nodded. “Credible evidence. Audio, photos, dates and times.” He sat his coffee cup down. “You know what’s always confused me about this particular case, Mrs. Boland?”

“What?”

“How someone like  _ you _ got tangled up with the likes of him?” Turner questioned, “Suburban housewife, mother of four… doesn’t strike me as the type to go for a gangbanger. Or the other way around.”

“It just happened.” Beth explained, shrugging her shoulders. She met his gaze then, poised with her own pushback. “I was meaning to ask how your  _ wife _ felt about you staying up here so long? Does she come and visit you and your boyfriend?”

Agent Turner quieted, his lips drawn into a thin line. “How do you know about that?”

“You’re not the only one keeping tabs on people.” Beth told him, jutting her chin up. “I’ll work on getting you the information you  _ need _ , but in the meantime, I want you to stop sniffing around us. Stay away from Stan and Ruby, Annie,  _ me _ .”

He nodded his head slowly, gritting his teeth. “I’ll see what I can do. But you’re getting me the information I  _ need _ .” Turner stood up slowly, “Let’s get you set up with a wire. We’ve got guys that will show you how it works.”

Beth grabbed her purse and stood up. “Thank you for reaching an understanding.” She said, glancing backwards at the office door when someone knocked and popped their head in.

“Demetrius while you’re here, can you show Mrs. Boland to Ed in surveillance?” Agent Turner questioned, standing up to follow Beth to the door. Did he know? Demetrius looked like he’d been shot out of a cannon. “She needs to be taught how to apply wires.”

“Yea, of course.” Demetrius glared at Beth, before turning his attention back to Agent Turner. “This about the Garcia case?”

“It’s still under wraps,” Turner explained, offering Beth his hand. “Thank you for coming down today Mrs. Boland.”

“You’re welcome.” Beth smiled faintly, before she followed Demetrius out of the office. He didn’t say a word to her, but his eyes said  _ everything _ . Shit. Rio was going to know before she even made it home. 

* * *

Rio was sitting at the dining room table when she walked in. His jaw set hard and his gaze stoney. Beth walked in, taking her time sitting her purse and keys down on the side table. 

“I can explain.” Beth started, her voice wavering as she sat down across the table from him.

His eyes snapped to meet hers. “You better be explaining, because I thought we were  _ past _ this Elizabeth.”

“We are past this.” She bit down hard on her bottom lip. “It’s not what it looks like.” She assured him. “I mean, it  _ is _ , but it’s not. I went to take matters into my own hands with Agent Turner.”

“ _ Elizabeth _ .” He gritted out. “That wasn’t the plan.”

“I know it wasn’t. Because our plan with Annie  _ failed _ .” She folded her hands onto the table, staring him down. “I laid it out on the table. I told him I could help gather intel on your boss. In exchange, he looks the other way where we’re concerned.”

He raked his hand over his face and cracked his neck. “You got a wire on  _ now _ ?”

“It’s in my purse.” Beth told him, her eyes flickering towards the side table. “You can look for yourself.”

Rio narrowed his eyes at her. “How do I know you ain’t working for Turner?”

“Because we  _ are  _ past this, Rio.” Beth sighed heavily. “And you know we are.”

Rio scraped the chair against the floor as he pushed backwards, rising to his feet. He sauntered around the dining room table, snatching her purse off the side table and dropping it down in front of her. “Show me.”

Beth felt dread settle into the pit of her stomach. She felt like she’d taken a time machine backwards to the first few months they’d begun working together. He was the pissed off gangfriend, not the comforting fiancé he’d been last night. Talk about whiplash. 

She pulled her purse closer, opening it and promptly dumping out its contents on the table. Beth tensed as she felt Rio rest his hand on her shoulder. “This is the wire.” Beth told him as she picked up the black plastic box that contained the wire and microphone. “They taught me how to use it.” 

“To get  _ my _ boss?”

“He wants info on all of the gangs in the city.” She turned to look at him, her heart aching at the anger etched into his features. “I did it for us, Rio.”

Rio sniffed and nodded his head, “What else he want?”

Beth kept her eyes on his face as he loomed over her. “He wants names, places, times, audio, photos… everything I can get about the other gangs here. He wants a full sweep.”

He flexed his jaw, “You know how  _ stupid _ this is, Elizabeth?”

“I did what I had to do. I took matters into my own hands.” Beth reached out to touch his face, but he flinched away. “Please don’t do this.”

“Show me you don’t have a wire on.” Rio said lowly, taking a step away from her chair.

“Okay.” Beth scooted her chair back, standing up in front of him. “I’m not, for the record.” She told him as she removed her blazer, laying it on the table. Her hands shook as she untucked her blouse and laid it on top of her blazer. 

Rio’s expression softened subtly, his eyes flickering over her bare skin. “ _ Pants _ .”

Beth felt her skin start to burn with a blush as she reached down to unbutton and unzip her pants, pushing them down her hips. She felt more naked standing there in her underwear and bra, than she had in bed with him last night. 

Rio rubbed at the back of his neck, his jaw relaxing as he approached her. “You ain’t turning on me again?”

Beth shook her head slowly. “I wouldn’t do that, Rio.” She tried to touch his face again and this time he let her. “I’m doing this  _ for _ us.”

Rio rested his hand on her hip hesitantly, but Beth brushed it off. He looked wounded, but she didn’t waver. 

“I appreciate the absence of a gun this time, but next time we have a misunderstanding… you don’t have to be such a  _ dick _ .” Beth ran her hand from his cheek to his throat, brushing her thumb over his Adam’s Apple. “Save fear and intimidation for someone else.”

“I’m sorry.” He admitted. “Demetrius texted and said you were with Turner… you get used to being turned on in this life.”

“Why would I turn on you, Rio?” She questioned, running her hand down his chest. “What purpose would that serve?” Beth narrowed her eyes at him. “I don’t know what kind of woman you think I am, but I wouldn’t sleep with you for  _ months _ , let you around my kids, say ‘I love you’, or meet your abuela just to stab you in the back.” 

Beth bit down on her bottom lip, running her hand down to his belt, working it open and pulling the belt from the loops and dropping it on the ground. “Do you not trust me?”

“I do.” Rio said quietly, standing still like a statue as she unzipped his jeans and shoved them down his hips. 

She cupped his through his boxers, running her fingers along the length of him. “I want you to show my how  _ sorry _ you are.” Beth told him lowly. 

Rio licked his bottom lip, leaning in like he intended to kiss her, but she gave him her cheek instead. “ _ Elizabeth _ .” He muttered against her skin. 

Beth pulled back to look at him, “You don’t get to accuse me of wearing a wire and make me  _ strip _ .” She told him, leaning up to catch his bottom lip between her teeth and scraping lightly. “You  _ know _ me, Rio.”

Rio reached out again, curling his hands around her hips and she let him. “I’m sorry, baby.” He whispered, trying to kiss her again, but she stopped him. “I thought you’d turned on me. That shit tore me up inside.” 

“Why would I turn on you when I’m actively trying to keep you  _ alive _ ?” Beth questioned, running her hands down his arms, curling her fingers around his wrists and pulling his hands off of her. She pressed her palm against his chest, pushing him backwards. 

“I want you to make it up to me,” Beth told him, squaring off with him. “Do you think you can do that?” She questioned with an edge to her voice. She was pissed off, but she also wanted the edge taken off. She would  _ never _ admit it outloud, but there was something unnaturally appealing about his harsher tendencies. Even when they were at odds in the very beginning, there was something about him that drew her in. Rio’s crueler side had played a part in more than one of her fantasies, before she’d had a taste of him for herself. 

“ _ Anything _ .” Rio took a step forward, his gaze falling to her lips. He leaned in, brushing his lips over hers and she didn’t pull away this time. She curled her hand around the back of his neck and dragged him down to deepen the kiss.

He walked her backwards until her ass hit the edge of the table, his hands curling around her hips to lift her up, perching her on the edge. He hooked his fingers in her panties, tearing the flimsy fabric off of her as she worked to push his boxers down his hips. 

Beth stroked her fingers along the length his cock, curling them around the base of him as she guided him to her center. Rio filled her in one swift thrust of his hips. 

“I’m  _ sorry _ .” Rio whispered, his lips brushing over hers again. He curled his hand behind her head, tangling his fingers in her hair.

“I know.” She met his eyes as she clutched at his shoulders for support as he thrust into her, again and  _ again _ . “I had to do it. It had to be me.” 

“We gotta do this together Beth. You can’t do this alone.” Rio rasped out, dragging his lips along her throat. “I can’t do this alone.” 

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like this ended abruptly, but it felt extremely natural way to end this chapter. Maybe I shouldn't try writing two fics at once...


End file.
